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Family
Spotlight
Adoption defines the size
of the human heart for the Valdes family
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by Diana Thomas
 A
hard Houston freeze, broken water pipes and a flooded house cut
short the Valdes family's winter vacation in Mexico. On Jan. 3,
1990, after a hard day's drive from Veracruz, Mexico, an exhausted
Armando Valdes pulled up to a hotel in Brownsville, Texas, where
he and his family would stay for the night. Little did he suspect
that the lives of his family and two young boys they did not know
were about to change for the better.
Once
they got settled in their hotel room, Lucy Valdes, Armando's wife,
and their three children, Mauricio, Monica and Sandra, fell asleep.
Armando stayed up to watch the news that included a story about
a local social worker looking for a home for two young brothers.
"The minute I saw the boys, I knew why our house had flooded
and why we were in Brownsville that night," Armando says. "I
knew those kids were meant to be part of our family." What
Armando did not know was that the story aired just the one time.
The next morning, as the family prepared to resume their trip to
Houston and their flooded home, Armando told his children that he
had seen their two new brothers on television the night before.
He and Lucy decided to find out as much as they could about the
boys once they got home. While working to repair the water damage
to their home, Armando and Lucy found out that the brothers, Ezekiel
(Zeke), 9, and Juan Luis (Johnnie), 8, had been in foster care for
three years. Their birth father was dead and their birth mother
suffered from permanent brain damage inflicted by a childhood accident
that left her unable to care for the boys.
Laying
the foundation
The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services tapped
Spaulding for Children to handle the adoption process. Finding permanent,
loving homes for sibling groups is an important part of Spaulding
for Children's mission. In its 22-year history, the not-for-profit
agency has placed approximately 800 children and has never charged
a fee for its services. "It was an exciting time, but an anxious
one as well," Valdes recalls. "The boys had been with
the same foster family for three years, which is very unusual. We
wondered how separation from the family would affect them."
After being approved to adopt Zeke and Johnnie in May 1990, the
Valdes family received the call they had so anxiously been waiting
for in August. It was finally time to meet the boys in Harlingen,
Texas.
Building
a new family
"Meeting them was one of the most exciting moments in my life,"
Armando says. "We spent several days swimming, shopping and
just being together. My family was devoted to them, making sure
Zeke and Johnnie were having fun. Zeke and Johnnie were scared but
eager to belong. "We brought the boys home to Houston to begin
school at the end of August. We conducted a "ceremony of the
truth" where we shared life stories and discussed the rules
of the new family. Discipline, communication and lots of love are
very important to a happy and successful family, especially after
an adoption." Zeke and Johnnie and the older Valdes children
quickly established a strong bond. In fact, Armando says, the relationship
between his oldest son, Mauricio, and his youngest son, Johnnie,
is "one of a kind." "I have five children - three
are my own blood and two are adopted, but I don't know which is
which. Zeke and Johnnie have been a part of our family since day
one."
Reaping
the rewards
Now, ten years later, Zeke is an outgoing, practical and charming
young man who is interested in a variety of subjects. He recently
graduated from St. Pius X, will receive his real estate license
in June and plans to attend the University of Houston's School of
Business in the fall. And, Zeke was one of two recipients of a Spaulding
for Children college scholarship this year. Johnnie is a focused,
loving young man who values his family's history and traditions.
He just finished his sophomore year of high school at the San Marcos,
Texas, Baptist Academy and plans to complete his junior and senior
years there as well. "Kids are the product of the time you
invest in them," Armando says. "We've had struggles and
tough times, but the rewards we have reaped are countless. We are
very thankful to Spaulding for Children for their help and support.
Now that the boys are nearly grown, we want to volunteer more with
Spaulding for Children and share our experiences with prospective
adoptive parents. Watching Zeke and Johnnie grow has been such a
source of joy. You never realize until you adopt how big the human
heart really is."
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